Benton is a city in Franklin County, Illinois, home to about 6,863 people across 5.5 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 62812 and 62897.
Homes sold for a median of $101 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Benton; also West City and Valier
Mostly Benton
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Benton. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Benton’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)94 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois (MWA)18 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | St. Louis, MO84 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL273 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Benton; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Benton had 6,709 residents in the 2020 census, down 2% since 2000.
It’s the 286th largest of 1,450 towns in Illinois by population.
Franklin County grew from 19,675 residents in 1900 to 37,804 in 2020.
Franklin County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 88°F in summer, and winter lows average 22°F. About 46.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Rend Lake Dam, IL weather station (4 miles away).
6,940 jobs at 696 businesses in Franklin County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
77 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Benton’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 11 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 4 |
| Dentists | 4 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 14 |
| Mental health providers | 22 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 12 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 8 |
| Pharmacies | 4 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (2 nearby)
Grocery stores (2 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Benton CCSD 47, Frankln/Johnsn/Massc/Willimsn ROE, Benton Cons HSD 103. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton Grade Sch K-4Benton | Pre-K–4 | 571 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Benton Grade Sch 5-8Benton | 5–8 | 429 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Starquest Acad RSSP NorthBenton | 6–8 | — | Alternative Education | 0.4 mi |
| Benton Cons High SchoolBenton | 9–12 | 604 | Public | 0.6 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with West City and Valier.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.